Wengen, which shares the Jungfrau pass with Grindelwald and Murren, is most famous for its dramatic downhill course, the 'Lauberhorn'. It's also known as one of those classic Swiss ski resorts that is relaxed and has stunning scenery.

A relatively vehicle-free village, Wengen has retained much of its old-world charm, with mainly traditional wooden chalets and a friendly, welcoming community atmosphere. Approximately 1½ mls long.

Many people go to Wengen simply for the atmosphere. It's sedate, stress- and traffic-free and 'old-school'. The village has excellent hotels that provide most of the dining, with some superb mountain eateries to boot.

Wengen is mainly middlemarket families, couples and singles. It is an excellent destination for beginner and intermediate skiers with enough in the region to challenge the more advanced. There is a large British presence. The accommodation here is mainly small- to midsize family-run hotels with a good mixture of ratings to suit all budgets.

Don't come here solely to bash as many pistes as possible. Wengen is traffic free and only accessible only by train from Lauterbrunnen.

Many skiers will then take the train on up to Kleine Scheidegg, so a good knowledge of the timetable is vital to avoid queues although the newly renovated cable-car to Mannlichen provides a quicker alternative into the main area.

Locality:

Wengen is situated in the Bernese Oberland (8 mls south of Interlaken, 46 mls south east of Berne, 84 mls south west of Zurich and its airport). It is perched on a sunny ledge above the breathtaking Lauterbrunnen Valley, with the Jungfrau mountain range (13,642 ft) as a backdrop. All visitors must catch the train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen.

Ski Information:

Lifts & Slopes

Highest lift:

2320m (7611ft), Lowest lift: 1274m (4180ft), Vertical drop: 1046m (3432ft), Number of lifts: 21, Uplift capacity: 20200 p/hr, Number of slopes: 33, Beginner: 24%, Intermediate: 52%, Expert: 24%, Total piste length: 112km, Snowboard parks: 1, Cross country: 17km